MONUMENT NO. 194010

Excavations in 1827 and in 1951 uncovered the site of a 4th century AD courtyard villa with Baths, Mosaics and Hypocausts overlying a 2nd century AD Roman building, possibly of H-plan, which in turn overlays an Iron Age settlement.

A Roman courtyard villa excavated by Hassell in 1827 when a plan of the north block was made, see photo AO/64/106/6. Four mosaics were uncovered and coins, mostly late, from Vespasian onwards were found. (2)

Re-excavated in 1951 under the direction of C. A. Ralegh Radford. The courtyard villa was dated to early 4th cent. by two Constantinian coins and a silvered bronze spoon. A second century building, probably of H. plan, dated by a samian bowl sealed in the foundations, was also discovered. Some errors were found in Hasell's plan. 1st cent. A.D.pottery and a storage pit cut in the subsoil was evidence of native occupation at the time of the conquest. I.A. A ware was also found. (3)

Although the field is under plough there are no indications of a building apart from some vague surface irregularities. (4)

The site was excavated in 1827 by Samuel Hasell, who uncovered part of a Roman courtyard villa. Excavation concentrated on the north block, where ten or eleven rooms were found, four with mosaics. Hypocausts and furnaces were discovered at both the eastern and western ends. One room was excavated on the west wing, and part of the baths were found on the east wing. The coins found date from Vespasian onwards. (5-6)

Excavations in 1951 and 1952 by Radford suggested that there was a second century Roman building and an earlier Romano-British settlement below the fourth century villa excavated by Hassell. Radford also found evidence for Iron Age occupation below the Roman occupation levels. (7-9)

The geophysical survey commissioned by the RCHME in 1993 revealed part of the villa plan and the possible extent of the underlying settlement(s) (10). A slight, partially embanked, sub-rectangular depression, c. 20m long and 17m wide was recorded at the time of the geophysical survey. The course of the Roman road from Ilchester to Crandon Bridge (RR 51) was noted to the east of the field where the villa is sited (11). (10-11)

SO 14 Listed as the possible site of a Roman villa. (12)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" (prov) 1962

( 2) General reference

Pitney Pavement 1831 p8 (Plan) (R. Colt-Hoare)

( 3) General reference

Archaeol Newsletter 4 (6) 1952 pp84-5 (W. A. Seaby)

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 JP 27-SEP-66

( 5) General reference

Gentlemans Magazine 97 (2) 1827 p113 (R Colt Hoare)

( 6) edited by William Page 1906 The Victoria history of the county of Somerset: volume one